Sam Chinkes’ letter, “Armed guards will not solve problem,” is partially correct when he states that the single most important advantage and frequent winner in any encounter is surprise. However, now there is no surprise awaiting any psychotic shooter who chooses to enter the killing fields of America: our schools and some of our movie theaters. Laws and rules only give the psychotics a safe place to conduct their slaughters of the innocent. Arming guards — and even better, qualified, capable volunteer teachers — would give these psychotics, who are not necessarily stupid, a reason to pause. And that deterrence would save lives.

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Of course security, armed guards, police, call them what you will, make schools more safe from violence. If they didn't, they would not already be in 1/3 of the U.S. schools, including grammar schools.

This letter would have you believe that an armed guard would be a deterrent. It might be for a rational person. But most of these perpetrators are not rational or they wouldn't do what they do. They approach the scene of their mayhem with no escape plan and often commit suicide before "the good guys with guns" arrive on the scene.

CCSD uses a professional uniformed force which, in my opinion, does a good job. That level of security might be overkill in a more bucolic setting but for LV and similar districts I believe it necessary. Licensing teachers or other school personnel as defacto security agents is not a good idea. The level of training required to become proficient with both the tools and the tactics is something for which politicians will not pay. Frankly the thought of armed lunch ladies scares the hell out of me, the stainless steel spoons are bad enough.

Mark: There was a sworn police officer serving as a "school resource officer" (I think that's the title...) At the time he was in one of the parking lots where students regularly smoked. He arrived on the scene five minutes after the first shot, two minutes after he was called. By that time, 2 were already dead, 10 wounded.

CarmineD: At 5:02 a.m. you posted "Of course security, armed guards, police, call them what you will, make schools more safe from violence. If they didn't, they would not already be in 1/3 of the U.S. schools, including grammar schools."

First: That has also drastically increased the arrest rate for children at the "protected" schools: children as young as five and six have been arrested for things like assault and creating a disturbance. I'd think that kids that young would lack the mental capacity, necessary for a conviction, to clearly distinguish right from wrong. The fact of the arrests, however, is reasonable. Police officers are trained as legalists (what is legal, what is illegal)and in arrest procedures. Many childrens school problems are probably better dealt with by moralists (what is right, what is wrong)using counseling and/or administrative actions.

Second: Can you cite instances of "security, armed guards, police" or whatever actually intervening and preventing students gun-shot deaths? This is the first I've heard about that having happened.

Hello Robert,I am aware of the facts of Columbine. I just wanted to see if Carmine was and could admit to the failure of another simplistic 'idea' put forth by the NRA, which really just wants to sell more guns as a proxy to gun manufacturers.

"Security Guards at schools are like cameras on public streets. Criminals intent on doing evil avoid them and go where they aren't."Do you have anything other than speculation behind this? Surveys of "criminals"?

The WSJ is a print paper and you are still wrong, but I will concede that it was the lamest attempt at rationalization from you on the subject of the Pulitzer yet. You were confident that Fox would win a Pulitzer for their screeching over Benghazi. This will not happen in anyone's lifetime. You will remain wrong and unable to admit it which just leaves you looking foolish.

Just to further deconstruct Carmine's logic here if I were intent on committing a crime and saw an armed security guard they would be the first ones shot. So proudly open carry knowing you will be the first target gun owners.

"A police officer for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been shot and killed at the campus outside of Boston, authorities said early Friday. No arrests had been made and a manhunt was on for the shooter."

It never ceases to amaze me how some people like you always want proof even to verify the most obvious.

In 2013 it was the WSJ after a 6 year dry spell. Next it will be FOX news. [Owned by the same person.] You completely ignored my comment that the WSJ winner is a weekly FOX news contributor. Oversight on your part? Or just ignoring the obvious....again?